


Meeting You

by Leni



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Depends on which timeline you choose to follow, F/M, Or fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 20:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: It’s not the first time he meets his wife under another guise.





	Meeting You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [imgilmoregirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imgilmoregirl/gifts).



> @imgilmoregirl asked “What if Rumple found a past version of Belle and Gideon?”

It’s not the first time he meets his wife under another guise. 

This time he pulls the features from the memory of a moment decades before, when Belle returned to their hotel room with the story of Gideon’s little adventure while the two were sightseeing, and the description of the kind man who helped their boy before she could panic about his disappearance.

_He is also stuck in their hotel, unable to come with his wife and their five-year-old, while he rails at their travel agency for mismanaging their schedule. If they wanted to be stranded in Seattle for three whole days, he snarls at the incompetent man on the other side of the phone, they wouldn’t have hired an agency at all!_

Seeing Gideon’s bright-eyed curiosity tugs at his heart, aware than it will be a constant through his son’s life. He knows the minute the boy decides that he can keep a little distance from his mother, while Belle is distracted by the reply the museum guide makes to her question. Next he knows, Gideon is on the other side of the room, staring around himself with the confidence of a child who’s been protected all his life; it takes the moment between one eyeblink and the next for the little boy to slip away, pulled by the wonders of the next exhibition, and then the one beyond that.

_He is also making reservations for dinner, something with the shellfish Belle likes so much, and a kid-friendly environment so Gideon will enjoy it too. He doesn’t know it yet, but good part of that dinner will be spent explaining to their son why he mustn’t wander alone, and how lucky he was to be spotted so quickly._

“Oh! Thank you!” Belle says as she rushes toward them, her pale face recovering its color as she catches sight of Gideon. “I had no idea where you’ve gone!” She kneels before the boy, uncaring of messing her fine slacks on the floor, and wraps him in her arms. Gideon whispers something into her ear, and then Belle looks up, staring at this stranger whose face he’s wearing with such gratefulness that he wants nothing more than to sink on the floor next to this wife and this son and never let go. 

But Belle never mentioned their good Samaritan losing his wits, so he manages to stay upright and do nothing more than smile at her. 

“Thank you so much, sir,” Belle tells him, rising to her feet, carrying her boy even though he’s already getting too big for it. “I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t found him so quickly.”

“I’m sure you’d have managed.”

She nods, though there are tears gathering at her eyes. He never knew that she’d cried, and he’s unable to do anything more meaningful than to pat her arm comfortingly.

Despite everything, Belle never learned to be wary of strangers, and so she just gives him a watery smile, then wipes at her face so Gideon can’t see her getting so emotional.

“You must think I’m crazy,” she says candidly. “I know anybody can lost sight of their kid. This is not out of the ordinary. All the books say so.”

He chuckles. He could still name the title of every book she read on the raising of little boys, and probably quote some of her favorites. “Indeed.” He tucks his hands into the pockets of his denim jacket, so as not to be tempted to touch her again. “I’m just glad this had a happy ending.”

As expected, that makes her grin. “Yes. Yes, of course.” She shifts to kiss Gideon’s cheek, while the boy squirms in her grasp, eager to continue the exploration. “The best.”

_He is also waiting for his wife and son to return to their hotel room. He is the luckiest man alive._

He says goodbye and turns around, busy saving each second of their meeting into his heart. He senses her thoughtful gaze follow him, and is unsurprised. Belle’s instinct was always stronger than what reason should dictate. Luckily she is soon distracted by Gideon demanding to be put down, and he can escape her scrutiny.

His heart is heavy, but he doesn’t look back.

Somewhere, at some time, his wife lives.

That’s enough.

(For now.)

 

The End  
18/05/18

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me what you think!


End file.
